How do mice react to predators? - briefly
Mice emit ultrasonic alarm calls, freeze, and dash for shelter while their heart rate and stress hormones rise to boost vigilance. These physiological and behavioral responses facilitate rapid escape and coordinated group avoidance of the threat.
How do mice react to predators? - in detail
Mice employ a hierarchy of defensive strategies that activate within milliseconds of detecting a predator cue. Primary detection relies on visual, auditory, and olfactory signals; whisker‑mediated vibration sensing also contributes when predators approach through dense cover. Once a threat is recognized, the nervous system triggers a cascade of motor and endocrine responses.
- Immediate escape: rapid sprint away from the source, often directed toward known refuges such as burrows or concealed crevices. Speed can exceed 5 m s⁻¹, and the trajectory is adjusted by real‑time visual and tactile feedback.
- Freezing: cessation of all movement for 0.5–2 s, reducing visual and acoustic signatures. Muscular tension rises, preparing for a sudden burst if the predator persists.
- Ultrasonic alarm calls: emission of broadband calls (30–100 kHz) that warn conspecifics and may startle aerial hunters. Calls are modulated in frequency and duration according to predator type.
- Tail‑flagging and scent marking: brief tail lifts and deposition of alarm pheromones on substrate, alerting nearby individuals and reinforcing group vigilance.
Physiological changes accompany these behaviours. The hypothalamic‑pituitary‑adrenal axis releases corticosterone, elevating heart rate and glucose availability to sustain prolonged activity. Sympathetic activation sharpens sensory processing and enhances muscle contractility.
Long‑term adaptations include altered foraging patterns, increased nocturnality, and reinforced spatial memory of safe zones. Social learning enables naïve mice to acquire predator‑avoidance tactics by observing experienced conspecifics, thereby extending the protective repertoire across generations.